Temple of the Black Sun
by Greywolf
Summary: AU. A call has been made for brave souls in the Tamaranian Empire to step forth and assist in a new colonization effort. But the islands to be settled hold secrets of their own and six young heroes will be needed to stop the impending cataclysm.
1. The Call is Made

**Author's Notes:** I felt I needed a change of pace, so here I am writing fanfics for a different show than my usual and in an approach I haven't tried before. I'm a big fan of fantasy stories with a world-that-never-was feel. Take for example some of Miyazaki's films such as Castle in the Sky. Thought I'd give it a try while still keeping a sense of Tolkkien and Robert Jordan integrated in, as both are influential to me. The result is a fantasy world much different from our own, but maintaining the ambience of co-existent magic, science, and spirituality present in many of Myazaki's films.

Bear in mind, that this is just the prologue. Things will get swinging when I... actually to be honest, whenever the hell I feel like it. I won't lie to you people, I'm lazy and have the attention span of a gnat.

Temple of the Black Sun

Prologue- The Call is Made

Tamaran. The jewel of civilization, the greatest empire to have ever existed. Spanning a continent and tracing its lineage back through many dynasties. It was during the V'ar Dynasty that Tamaran entered a new period in its storied history that scholars would remember fondly for eons. It was an era of prosperity and learning. It was an age of peace and enlightenment. It was the Age of the Golden Sun, prophesized for centuries as a turning point for all civilization.

There were many, many stories to tell from this Age. Stories of heroism and villainy, of love and tragedy, genius and madness, redemption and retribution. As many stories as there were stars in the sky. But the story most important to this Age, and the one you shall now hear, is one of many things. It is a story of adventure, bravery, valor, true love, deception, betrayal, atonement, hubris, miracles, and magic. But most of all it is the story of how even the most unlikely heroes can make a difference to others, to history, and to each other.

It began in the year of fourteen hundred and sixty-one by the Tamaranian calendar. It was in the late winter when the Emperor received notice that royal sailors had discovered a new chain of islands off the southern coast. There were traces of a past civilization, but scouts were able to find no evidence that the island had been inhabited in centuries. This was of course fantastic news. The Emperor met with his counsel to discuss the possibilities. It was decided that the islands would be colonized and the remains of the previous inhabitants studied carefully. Deliberating on the best way to accomplish this, the Emperor came to his decision.

A week later, a proclamation was issued throughout Tamaran. The Emperor announced the discovery of the new islands and called on brave souls with the skills and will to survive to pave the way for colonists. Mercenaries, vagabonds, scouts, huntsmen, and all other types came to the Stone Coast, so named because of the cities built into the cliffs overlooking the sea. In droves they came, all in hope of being selected to be on one of the two ships bound for the new islands. Some were risking everything for this opportunity. Others had nothing to lose and wanted to start anew. From all over the empire, the would-be colonists flocked. From the towers and spires of Gotham, the oasis cities in the Sea of Fire, the clockwork cities of Jump, the harsh Shadowlands, the sylvan glens of Verdania, and even the capitol of Tamaran itself where the old blood was still passed on. The streets were filled with the most unusual group of travelers one had ever seen.

Amongst these travelers were six young people with disparate backgrounds and motivations. They would all be chosen. They would all be going to the islands. And each and every one of them would have a part to play in the adventure, though none of them yet knew it.

The call was made... and the heroes answered.

**-x-**

**Author's Notes:** I never really felt very good about writing something so short. I guess I console myself with the fact that my chapters tend to average between 2,000-4,000 words each. Oh well...


	2. Six Young People

**Author's Notes:** This is what being sick does to you. You have nothing but the TV, computer, and your own thoughts to entertain you as you lay/sit around like a diseased lump. So what do I do? I write. It passes the time and keeps me going.

But enough about me...

Temple of the Black Sun

Chapter 2- Six Young People

Dick raked a hand back through his long black hair as the wind playfully tossed the locks about his face. As he pulled his hair back and tied into a ponytail with a leather thong, the ocean breezes contented themselves with fluttering his baggy black shirt and trousers. The ship gently rocked with the waves as the sun set behind them, and he watched from the aft castle as the cliffs of the Stone Coast become a blur on the horizon. He was lucky to be chosen. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And it was probably his only chance to escape his past in Gotham.

Dick turned and looked out over the deck, observing his fellow passengers for the first time. Among all the sailors were the chosen colonists. There was a typical assortment of laborers, hunters, farmers, and soldiers. But among them, some unusual members stood out. Dick's eyes first traveled to a large young man with dark skin. He was easily two heads taller than most of the sailors, but what made him so interesting was the fact that most of his body was metal. He must have been from Jump, the technological heart of the empire. People there sometimes had lost body parts replaced with clockwork machinery, though Dick had never heard of anything so... extensive.

His eyes then moved onto a cloaked figure at the bow of the ship. He couldn't tell any details because the hood and cloak were drawn up and the figure had their back turned, but Dick recognized the cut, color, and craftsmanship of the cloak as that of a Shadowlands sorcerer. Very interesting.

He then turned his gaze to another unusual figure. A young girl dressed in the loose-fitting protective garb of the desertfolk from the Sea of Fire. What was interesting was that her skin was pale, her eyes blue, and her hair a golden blonde. That was exceptionally rare. Only one in every thousand children among the desertfolk was born a Child of the Oasis, as they so called it. It was considered a blessing from the gods. It was highly unusual that with such a "gift" she would ever leave her homelands.

Dick's gaze slowly roved across the deck to settle on yet another bizarre character. This one was a slender young man with a mop of dark green hair and light green fur on his body. His ears were pointed and a single fang stuck out of his lips. He dressed lightly in earth tones. Dick watched him a moment before the green man abruptly morphed in a very swift and fluid move into a large green crow and fluttered up into the mast. A Verdanian shapeshifter. They seldom ventured outside of their province anymore. A talent like that would have limitless applications on the Kain Islands, so it was no wonder he was selected.

Dick looked back down at the deck to see a figure in a brown traveler's cloak approaching him. As the cloak parted, he saw the feminine figure in plain traveler's clothes. She pulled back the hood and smiled. Dick only blinked as he tried to keep his face schooled to a mask of quiet reservation. She was gorgeous. She was about the same height as he was. Her skin was a strange gold-orange tan, her hair was long and red like fire, and her eyes were large and a luminous green. The old blood of Tamaran must have ran in her veins, as no other lineage could grant one such features. Dick had seen such Tamaranians before, but never one in which the old blood was so pure.

"Hello, friend," she said in a soft voice that reminded Dick of chiming bells. "Why do you stand here alone?" There was a peculiar cadence to her voice, as if she were testing and savoring every word as it rolled off her tongue.

Dick merely shrugged lightly and answered, "I just wanted a moment to think."

She nodded and her smile faltered slightly. "I apologize if I have disturbed you..."

"Don't. I haven't had a chance to talk with anyone since we boarded." Dick bowed his head. "My name is Dick Grayson of Gotham."

She bowed in return. "It is a pleasure to meet you Dick Grayson. I am called Starfire of Tamaran." An unusual name. But she went on before Dick could question it. "Is it true that Gotham is haunted by the spirit of a dark knight who punishes the wicked?"

Dick couldn't help but smile softly. If only she knew... Oh well, best to keep the legend going. "Yes. I've seen him before. A man who rides on the winds and can see his enemy's moves before he makes them. He wears the guise of a bat so that he may fly through the night without folly and track down evildoers."

Starfire looked like a small child hearing her favorite fairy tale. "He is real, I knew it!" She clasped her hands in front of her chest happily. "Tell me more about Gotham. It sounds like such a wonderful city."

Dick couldn't stop the smile from reaching his cold blue eyes. There was a purity to this girl, Starfire. He didn't think he could have hated her if he tried. Dick leaned back against the railing and began to tell her of Gotham, the second oldest city in the Tamaran Empire.

**-x-**

Starfire listened with unfaltering attention to Dick's stories. He seemed very flattered that anyone would ask him such things. He seemed so honest that it actually made her feel a little guilty about having lied to him about her name. But she had made her decision and it was too late to change now. If the colonists found out who she really was, her adventure would be over before it even began. So for now she would just have to lay low.

At least in Dick she had a friend. She caught herself admiring his good looks before blinking the thought away. They would be on this vessel for two weeks, and probably on the islands for the rest of their lives. This wasn't an opportune time to be thinking this way about a man she just met.

"Quite an interesting crew we have, eh?" Dick asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Starfire asked curiously.

Dick just smiled and pointed toward the deck, pointing out the various people he described. "Take a look. A clockwork man from Jump, a Shadowlands sorcerer, a desertfolk girl, and a Verdanian shapeshifter. The Stone Cliffs this morning were probably the only place in the empire other than the capitol where you'd see such a gathering."

"I think it is a wonderful thing that people are coming together for such a fabulous journey," Starfire said happily. She looked over at Dick who had his eyes cast down and to the side. Despite his serene expression, there was obviously something troubling him. "Friend Dick, what is the problem?"

He merely sighed and looked back up into her eyes. "Don't be so certain everyone has such good intentions. Think about it, Starfire. This discovery means a lot of people are going to be starting new lives. There are a lot of reasons people would want to do that."

"Like what?"

Dick seemed genuinely surprised by the question and cleared his throat. "Some people may have had nothing to lose back home. This is a chance for them to start over. Others may think that imperial authority won't be as tight, so they can get away with more. Others... others are probably leaving home because there's something there that they want to get away from." His voice softened at the last sentence. "What better to do that than to put an ocean between them and it."

Starfire stared at Dick for a moment. There was something he wasn't telling her. But she wouldn't feel right prying about it considering she wasn't about to tell him her own secret just yet. Best to wait until they both felt comfortable opening up to one another. Starfire only hoped that day would be soon.

**-x-**

Gar hopped down from the masts and reverted to his humanoid form. This was so great! He couldn't believe so few of his people wanted to go. Who could pass up an opportunity for such an adventure? He breathed deeply of the salty ocean air to calm his excitement. These were the fastest passenger ships in Tamaran, but it would still be another two weeks before they reached the Kain Islands.

Dinner wouldn't be for another couple of hours, so Gar decided to mingle with his fellow passengers for a minute. There was no shortage of interesting people to talk to. There was the metal man helping with the rigging. But he looked busy. Probably shouldn't bother him right now. And that cloaked figure at the bow looked like they really wanted to be left alone. His eyes finally settled on a pretty young girl about his age with golden hair and pale blue eyes. Actually, pretty wasn't the word. She was beautiful! Gar smoothed his unkempt hair and strode over to her. She was leaning on the railing and staring out into the ocean in awe. "Great view, huh?" he started conversationally.

The girl gasped and turned to face him before smiling softly. "Sorry. I've never seen the ocean before."

"Where are you from?" Gar asked, leaning on the railing beside her.

"The Sea of Fire," she answered. "My name is Terra of the Sahl Clan."

"You're desertfolk?" Gar arched an eyebrow. He thought desertfolk were swarthy, rugged people. This girl looked like she had been born into nobility.

"I know I don't really look like it," Terra giggled. "I was born a Child of the Oasis. It's a rare blessing to be born fair-skinned."

Gar nodded slowly in understanding. "Your parents must have been pretty happy."

Terra smiled sadly and looked off to the side. "Actually, I never knew them. They died when I was a baby."

Gar felt as if he had just swallowed a stone and contemplated repeatedly banging his head off of the mast. "I'm sorry. I know how you must feel though. I'm an orphan, too."

Her smile was a small comfort. "You never told me your name," she said as if the last moment of the conversation had never happened.

"Call me Gar. I'm from Verdania."

"Oh, you're one of the shapeshifters?" Terra asked excitedly.

"Yeah. Any animal I see I can become," Gar boasted with a fanged grin.

"I've heard a lot of stories about your people," Terra said with a tilt of her head. "Is it true you feed on the flesh of those who defile your forests?"

Gar's jaw dropped. People were still telling that lie? "No!" he cried in disgust. "For one thing, that's an old wives' tale. My people never did anything like that. For another, I don't eat meat at all." Gar was never comfortable with the idea of killing, no matter the reason. He could subsist perfectly well on fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other such foods. He didn't need meat.

"That's a relief," Terra giggled. "I was hoping the stories weren't true. I can't imagine a people so close to the land being so dangerous."

"Dangerous?" With that, Gar morphed into a squirrel much to Terra's surprise then skittered up her leg, up her side, and onto her shoulder, proceeding to nuzzle the top of his head against her cheek. "Could something this cuddly be dangerous?"

**-x-**

Terra laughed at Gar's antics and gently scratched behind his ears. It was good to know she had someone to talk to now. That was her greatest worry in coming to this new land. She was not treated like an equal at home due to her blessing. Everyone saw her as some sort of divine object instead of a person, and being so distanced made her feel alone. She only counted herself lucky that she had made it to the Stone Coast without the clan tracking her down to bring her back.

Gar hopped off her shoulder and reverted to his humanoid form with a dramatic bow. She clapped and smiled, able to forget for a moment that she was surrounded on all sides by more water than she had ever thought existed. That was short-lived however as the ship rolled suddenly, upsetting her balance. Terra felt a wave of nausea and gripped the railing. She hadn't expected the journey to be like this. Every time the ship rolled, she worried that she was going to fall overboard.

"You alright?" Gar asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm just not used to boats," Terra explained.

"I thought desertfolk had flying sandships," Gar wondered with his brow furrowed in curiosity.

"Yes, but they don't rock and pitch like this thing does," Terra said as she place a hand to her stomach in a vain attempt to calm it. "Besides, if you fall out of a sandship, the worst that can happen is you break an arm or leg. Here... I can't swim. I've never seen so much water in my life."

Gar nodded as he caught on. "If you want, I could teach you to swim when we get to the islands," he offered with a nervous smile.

Terra smirked at him. "And what would I wear for swimming lessons? I certainly wouldn't want to spend the day in wet clothes."

"Well..." Gar let that lone word trail off as he looked off with an impish grin as if daydreaming.

Terra laughed when she realized what he was implying and playfully slapped his shoulder. "You're incorrigible!" It had been a while since she could really laugh and enjoy herself. Gar seemed like the type who wore his emotions on his sleeves and was always having fun. It seemed the trip wouldn't be so bad after all.

**-x-**

Victor wiped the sweat from his brow with one mechanical arm. It had been over a year since the machine accident that brought his father to graft these devices to Victor's body, but he still hadn't gotten used to the fact that he could still feel with these appendages. It was as if his arms had never left him. Of course, it was the mechanical implants that got him on this voyage so he really shouldn't question his gift too much. The recruiters thought that a man with such great strength and knowledge of science would be a valuable asset to the other colonists. Which was exactly what Victor wanted.

"Mister Stone," came the voice of the first mate, Thomas. "Take a break. You've earned it."

Victor bowed his head. "Thank you, sir." With that, he strolled around the deck to watch the goings-on for a minute. He wanted a good idea of the kind of people he would be working with in the near future. A quick look around him proved that he was not the youngest crewmember. At the aft castle was a dark-haired young man in the black clothing that was the style in Gotham lately. He was talking with an old-blooded Tamaranian girl.

On the other side of the deck was a young blonde girl in light, baggy clothes. Victor knew he had seen that sort of outfit before, but he wasn't sure where. She seemed to be playing with a squirrel that was... green? Suddenly, it hopped off her shoulder and transformed into a gangly green young man. So the Verdanians really were shapeshifters, eh? Victor had been wondering if it was just a legend.

At the bow was a cloaked figure. Victor thought for a moment and realized that they hadn't moved since the ship left port. Upon closer observation, he noted that the wind didn't seem to touch the figure's cloak. A sorcerer? It was starting to look that way. Whoever they were, it was probably best to let them go for now.

Seeing little other opportunity for conversation, Victor decided to head below deck to stake out his bunk and check the kitchen to see what was being cooked up for dinner.

**-x-**

Raven continued staring out into the seas ahead. Her empathic sense delicately skimmed the ship. There was a predictable pallet of emotions. Anxiety, excitement, nervousness, pride... though there were a few exceptions. Like five beacons in the drab sea of minds, she picked out individuals who for one reason or another stood apart like diamonds within a lump of clay. Hmm...

At last curiosity got the better of Raven, and she muttered a soft mantra that would be inaudible to even one standing beside her as the most delicate ocean breezes were enough to carry it away. She gently reached out to skim these unique minds a little more. She was hardly a telepath like some of her peers. But her empathy not only gave her the ability to sense surface thoughts and emotions, but to extract vague images that sometimes provided an insight into one's mind. Like flexing a muscle, it was a power developing with time and use, but it was still weak and needed to be exercised more.

Forests... trees everywhere... deciduous groves, cypress swamps, conifers on snowy mountain slopes... wildlife everywhere... Very interesting.

The burning sun... open sky and rolling sand as far as the eye could see... cities built around giant oases... flying ships catching hot winds in their sails... Another easy mind to read. A Verdanian and a desertfolk. Very curious, since neither of the two people were known for being very outgoing. Try another one...

Pain... physical pain... steam and oil... a city built on perfect geometric logic... Ah, this one must be from Jump. The first images were puzzling though. Raven decided not to push any deeper though. She'd find out for herself when she met this person. Now for the other two...

A great loss... an old castle... foggy moonlit nights... desire and passion mixed with regret and uncertainty... This one was a challenge. The images were unclear. They revealed very little. Whoever this person had a strong, disciplined mind. But what of the other...

Great wealth and opulence... a feeling of suffocation... fleeing through streets in disguise... a childhood nickname... Raven's eyes snapped open. Koriand'r. The Tamaranian princess was on board this ship in disguise. She was running away. Raven let her eyes close again. She couldn't tell why the princess had fled. She had a few clues, but nothing certain. She would have to find out in time.

Raven didn't know how she knew this, but something in the back of her mind told her that there was more to this than met the eye. It was no mere coincidence that all these people should be destined for the same place at the same time. The gears of the universe were turning and slowly setting the tumblers. When they fell into place, something big was going to happen. And though she wouldn't admit it out loud, it irritated Raven to no end that she couldn't even begin to guess what.

**-x-**

**Author's Notes:** These last couple of weeks, I'm on fire. I don't get bursts of productivity like this very often, but when I do I have to milk them for everything they're worth.

**sapphirepink:** Thanks. The tone and ambience of a story is something I always agonize over.

**Lady Katreina:** You were right about them not having met before. As for the rest of the plot, you'll just have to wait and see.

**VainRhinosCarDen:** Now that we're getting to our cast and the actual storytelling, what do you think? Still show promise?

**Cringe:** Yes, it is AU. I don't know, but I have a real thing for that sort of writing.

**Black Th0rn:** Well for the time being, you can look forward to some steady updates. It's not like I'm doing anything else, for better or worse.


	3. At Sea

**Author's Notes:** It's weird how spoiled I am. There's nothing more nerve-wracking than waiting for someone else to critique your work. And I'm so used to getting a big response that you can only imagine I was a little disappointed to only get a few reviews. Then it occurred to me that a lot of you Teen Titans fans reading have no idea who the hell I am.

I feel like an egomaniac saying that, but among the Inuyasha readers I've been around long enough to get some exposure and regular readers. A reputation, as it were. Now I'm reaching to a whole new crowd and have to build up from there. Again, I feel like a total egotist saying this, but I don't think there's a better way to say it.

For the record, I am grateful for the reviews I do get. As a writer, nothing irks me more than silence. Maybe I'm overreacting, but when my work gets passed over, I feel kind of cheated. Which also makes me feel guilty about how frugal I am with reviews myself.

Sigh. I'm a couple bounced checks short of a clock tower sniper, aren't I?

Temple of the Black Sun

Chapter 3- At Sea

That night, most of the colonists headed below deck for dinner with a few members of the crew. Everyone else stayed up to man the ship until it was their turn to eat. Normally, Dick was very reclusive and quiet. But in the presence of Starfire he felt more at-ease than he had in years. Something about her innocence and purity touched him. So it was a great relief to him when she sat next to him at the table. Dinner was basically vegetable broth, fish, and biscuits. Very light, but it was enough to fill you for the night.

"Uh, excuse me?" the Verdanian piped up from across the table. Dick noted that he was still chatting with the desertfolk girl. "Is there anything besides... fish?" He seemed almost sickened by the idea.

The cook gave him a very grave look. "And what would you prefer?" he asked in gravelly voice.

"An apple or something would be great," the Verdanian said with a nervous smile. "I don't eat meat."

"On this ship, you eat what's put in front of you," the cook said with finality and trundled off back to the kitchen.

Dick picked up the bowl of his broth and slid it toward the Verdanian. "I'll trade you for the fish," he said evenly.

The green boy looked up in surprise, but eagerly made the exchange. "Much obliged, mate!" He greedily gulped down two mouthfuls of the soup and sighed contentedly. "That hits the spot."

Several passengers looked at the boy strangely and Starfire furrowed her brows. "Friend Dick, what is he talking about?"

Dick just smiled lightly. "Verdanians speak an accented form of the Imperial Common. It's heavily-laden with colloquialisms."

That just caused those at the table to stare at the shapeshifter in even more confusion. The green boy rolled his eyes up and sighed in exasperation. "We talk funny," he deadpanned.

There was a small chorus of, "Oh," from the passengers who went back to their meals.

"Thanks again, mate," the Verdanian beamed, reaching a hand across the table. "I'm Gar of Verdania."

Dick shook his hand with a smile. "Dick Grayson of Gotham."

Starfire bowed her head politely. "And I am Starfire of Tamaran."

The desertfolk girl also bowed her head. "I'm Terra of the Sahl Clan. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"It fills my heart with such warmth to be meeting so many new friends," Starfire cooed happily. "You must tell me, how did you come to be here?"

Gar scratched behind one of his pointed ears lightly for a moment. "Well, I figured it would be nice to see these new islands. I wanted an adventure... That's about it, really."

"You're as impulsive as the legends say, you know that?" Dick quipped.

"Stories gotta come from somewhere," Gar replied with a grin, getting more strange looks for his unusual grammar.

"What about you, friend Terra?" Starfire asked with her friendliest smile.

Terra looked away as if embarrassed. "I didn't have much worth staying for back home," she answered uneasily. "I decided I wanted to go some place I'd have a chance to start over."

"Where your people wouldn't be able to track you down," Dick added before taking a bite of fish.

Terra gasped and looked at him in surprise while Starfire and Gar just watched curiously. "How did you-?" she asked, unable to finish the question.

"Let's just say I was something of a scholar before I left Gotham," Dick replied off-handedly. "I'm very familiar with desertfolk customs. Only under the most extraordinary circumstances would they ever allow a Child of the Oasis to leave her home."

He looked up to see the worried expression on her face and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. We all have our reasons for being here. For whatever reason you left, that's your business, not mine." With that he took another bite of fish and glanced over at Starfire whose face held a mixture of relief and sadness. Dick could only imagine what could make her sad, though. Whatever it was, he didn't like it. He felt a strange protectiveness for this girl. If it weren't for his self-discipline it might take control of his thoughts, which was something he definitely didn't want right now. He'd have time to think later tonight.

**-x-**

After dinner, Terra and Gar went up on deck to take their shifts at the rigging. The clockwork man and the cloaked figure were gone, and Terra felt her uneasiness over being surrounded by miles of ocean return. Another two weeks of this... it was enough to make her stomach churn.

"You feeling alright?" Gar asked with a touch of concern in his voice.

Terra just smiled and leaned against the mast with one hand. "I'll be fine. I just need to get used to this ship moving all the time."

Terra gasped when her nausea turned into a different sensation. She hung her head low and closed her eyes to conceal the golden glow coming from them. Her hair began to move of its own accord, but she was fortunate to have the wind passing by at the moment.

"Terra?" Gar asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

She felt it. All of a sudden, she could see Gar's form in her mind's eye. Or rather, she saw it outlined in the dirt that had accumulated in his fur, hair, and clothes. Starting at the hand on her shoulder, the outline of the Verdanian vanished as the dirt pulled off of and away from him, forming a solid clump floating in front of her.

She opened her eyes to see a fist-sized clod of dirt floating between the two of them. As Gar reached out to touch it, it abruptly shot up into the air and over the side of the ship. Fortunately, it was dark out now and nobody noticed. "Terra... what happened?" Gar asked, this time his voice practically dripping with concern.

"I'm sorry," Terra apologized ashamedly. "It's part of being a Child of the Oasis. We're touched by magic in the womb and gain strong elemental powers. But... but I can't control mine. At least... not fully."

Gar just nodded. "I see."

"Promise me you won't tell anyone," Terra pleaded. "If they find out, they'll send me back."

"I won't," Gar reassured her. That wasn't enough, though.

"Promise me!" she demanded, this time more aggressive than desperate.

Gar held up his hands defensively. "I swear I won't tell anyone!" With that he heaved a sigh. "But you know someone'll find out sooner or later."

"I know," Terra whispered. "I know. But I can't go back."

She gasped as Gar placed both of his hands on her shoulders. "They won't send you back. I'll make sure of it." His voice was so warm and comforting; Terra couldn't bring herself to do anything but believe him. No one had ever offered to stand up for her like that. Those that defended her at home simply did so because they didn't want to give up their Child of the Oasis.

Terra threw her arms around the shapeshifter and mumbled her thanks into his shoulder. He seemed surprised for a moment, but wrapped his arms around her shoulders in return.

The moment was abruptly brought to an end by the sound of someone clearing their throat. "If you two are finished," First Mate Thomas said flatly, "the decks need washing. Bear in mind that you'll be doing the same thing tomorrow morning and evening for the next three days."

The two broke apart. Terra felt as if her face had burst into flames, and a glance at Gar showed that he was blushing through the thin green fur on his face. They both had buckets and brushes shoved into their hands by the first mate, who then stalked off to see that everyone else was doing their assigned duties.

Terra smiled embarrassedly at Gar and kneeled down before rolling up her sleeves. "Might as well get to work," she stated in what she hoped was a conversational tone. After what just happened between the two of them, what was she supposed to say?

Gar smiled and got down on his hands and knees to help. "At least you get to work with a fellah who can make you laugh."

Terra laughed softly as she began to scrub the crusted salts and minerals of the ocean water off the deck. "Ever the charmer, aren't you?"

**-x-**

Starfire went back up on deck with Dick after they were done. When the rest of the crew was done eating, it would be their job to help clean up in the kitchens. Until then, they had a moment of peace.

Upon stepping out, she immediately spotted an old-blooded Tamaranian at the bow of the ship, his brick red hair being tossed about by the winds. The way he carried himself, Starfire guessed that he must have been a soldier. Before she could say anything, he began singing.

"Build a fire a thousand miles away to light my long way home."

It was the anthem of the Tamaranian army. The very thought of it made Starfire feel a little homesick. As the baritone voice filled the air, others looked up from what they were doing to see.

"I ride a comet  
My trail is long to stay  
Silence is a heavy stone..." 

"Starfire," Dick whispered beside her, "that's the soldiers' anthem, isn't it?"

Starfire nodded slowly. "Yes."

"I fight the world and take all they can give  
There are times my heart hangs low" 

Starfire began to feel as if her own heart were weighed down. She had forsaken her life as the princess for this. She wanted a new life among the people, not over them. She would tell herself that she went on this voyage to aid the empire and the colonists in this wonderful mission. But that would always be only half of the truth. Dick was right. People had many personal reasons for making this journey.

"Born to walk against the wind  
Born to hear my name  
No matter where I stand I'm alone" 

Without thinking, Starfire slipped her hand into Dick's. She did not want to feel alone. She had friends on this voyage. But the reality was beginning to come to her that they didn't know who she truly was. Would they treat her differently when they found out? Would they stop behaving as friends and start acting like servants or subjects?

She didn't know. And that's what scared her.

"Stand and fight  
Live by your heart  
Always one more try  
I'm not afraid to die  
Stand and fight  
Say what you feel  
Born with a heart of steel" 

The Tamaranians were a race of warrior-poets even long before the empire was established. They were proud and fierce, but also sensitive souls. It was a dichotomy that they strived to preserve throughout the years, and even their soldiers were trained in the fine arts. This song only reminded Starfire of everything she was leaving behind.

"Burn the bridge behind you  
Leave no retreat  
There's only one way home  
Those who laugh and crowd the path  
And cut each other's throats  
Will fall like melting snow" 

"It never ceases to amaze me," Dick remarked beside Starfire.

She looked over at him curiously. "I do not understand."

"I've known a lot of old-blooded Tamaranians in my lifetime," Dick explained. "And the way they blend the spirit of warriors with the soul of philosophers is unlike anything I've ever seen."

Whether it was intentional or not, he gave a gentle squeeze on her hand, and Starfire felt her face grow warm. She smiled softly and looked to the ground, mumbling a soft thank you when she realized that the comment was directed at her as much as the rest of her people.

"They'll watch us rise with fire in our eyes  
They'll bow their heads  
Their hearts will hang low  
Then we'll laugh and they will kneel  
And know this heart of steel was  
Too hard to break  
Too hard to hold" 

Starfire could practically hear the music that was always meant to accompany these words. As the princess, it was one of her duties to preside over military ceremonies with her mother and father. She soon found herself softly singing as well, an action soon mimicked by Dick and some of the sailors.

"Stand and fight  
Live by your heart  
Always one more try  
I'm not afraid to die  
Stand and fight  
Say what you feel  
Born with a heart of steel  
Born with a heart of steel!" 

At the second recitation of "steel," the soldier held the note out in a long vibrato, surprising many with such a display of lung capacity. Starfire almost envied him that. It wasn't that her singing voice was poor. She just wasn't good at holding a note for more than a few beats.

All the same, it was an empowering song. And the looks on the faces of those who had joined in the chorus showed that they apparently agreed.

"Stand and fight  
Say what you feel  
Born with a heart of steel  
Stand and fight  
Live by your heart  
Always one more try  
I'm not afraid to die  
Stand and fight  
Say what you feel  
Born with a heart of steel" 

As their voices faded into the night, Starfire felt the strangest mixture of emotions. She was homesick already, true. But she also felt a strange confidence and warmth. She looked over at Dick, and realized that she was still holding his hand. She withdrew with a light blush. "My apologies," she laughed nervously.

For an instant, it seemed there was a light blush on Dick's face as well, but it was there and gone like a shooting star. His face once again became the perfect example of calm composure. How could he be so confident in himself all the time? He had an air of detachment, yet quiet bemusement as well. Like a wolf completely secure in its own superiority over the other creatures in its territory. There was nothing sinister about it, but it created an odd mystique that played havoc with Starfire's natural curiosity. She was royalty, however. She had been taught to control herself.

**-x-**

Victor finished the last of his meal and moved to the kitchen to help with clean-up duty. The captain had told him to simply dry and put away the dishes, concerned for Victor's clockwork arms. Naturally, they were waterproofed, but it wasn't like Victor had to tell him that.

He tied a leather apron around his waist when the old-blooded Tamaranian girl and the Gotham boy he saw earlier walked into the kitchen. "Evening," he greeted them with his friendliest smile.

The boy bowed his head politely and smiled back as the girl did likewise. "Nice to meet you. I'm Dick Grayson of Gotham. This is Starfire of Tamaran."

"I'm Victor Stone from Jump," Victor said with a slight puff of his chest. "You two got stuck on KP duty tonight too, huh?"

"Yes," Starfire answered as she retrieved a pair of aprons for her and Dick. "But with friends I do not think it will be so bad."

Victor made a note of her unusual voice. He had never heard an accent like that before. She also had a strange child-like innocence. She was an interesting contrast to Dick who was dark, laid-back, and collected. Actually, contrast wasn't the right word. The two actually seemed to compliment one another very well. Even more impressive that Victor get that impression from the two of them considering he had just met them less then 30 seconds ago. He liked to think he was a good judge of character, but... And he was going off on a tangent again.

He made a quick shake of his head to clear it and surveyed the dirty dishes. Tonight wouldn't be too bad least. Another three days of this though may not be too pleasant, though.

Dick and Starfire began their task of washing as Victor stood by, quickly drying anything they handed him. "So what brings you two out here?" he asked conversationally.

"I thought this would be a glorious chance to help the empire," Starfire answered enthusiastically. "It is such a wonderful discovery and is bringing people together."

Victor couldn't help but smile. "How about you, Dick?"

Dick paused as if thinking about his answer before he just shrugged. "There wasn't much left for me to do in Gotham. I figured a new land should have plenty of opportunities. So I hopped on the first caravan to the Stone Coast and... here I am. What about you?"

Victor smiled slightly at the two of them. "Well... I just wanted to get out on my own. Make my own way. I learned everything I know from my father, and I figured this new world is going to need mechanics and engineers."

The three of them made small talk for the rest of the evening, until Victor decided to turn in for the night. He went to his bunk and eased himself down into it, his metallic limbs nearly tripling his normal body weight. The frame groaned lightly in protest, but held together.

Victor didn't know if he would ever get used to this. His limbs were artificial, but he could somehow feel with them. And they were perfectly articulate as well. He could have played an instrument with those hands if the fingers were a little thinner. Of course, he'd never be able to go out swimming again. Despite his newfound strength, his body just lacked the buoyancy to stay afloat anymore. It made being on the ship a little risky, but he made no excessive moves to stay away from the railings or keep below deck. If nothing else, the greatest piece of advice his father had ever given him was "Feel the fear and do it anyway." He certainly wasn't telling his son to do anything stupid. On the contrary, he was trying to explain what courage meant. It was a lesson Victor had taken to heart.

It wasn't long before the shapeshifter Victor had seen earlier that day came in looking weary, but content. He trudged into the room and lazily climbed into the bunk above Victor's. "Rough day?" he asked.

"Something like that," the Verdanian mumbled. "Cleaning the decks all night. At least I get to work with that foxy desertfolk girl, Terra."

Foxy? What did that mean? "Beg your pardon?" Victor asked with an arched brow.

He heard the Verdanian sigh lightly. "Oh yeah. Forgot," he grumbled with mild exasperation. "Verdanians talk funny. We use a lot of slang. Foxy means she's cute."

"Oh." Victor mulled it over in his head a bit. "Foxy... I like that," he mused with a small grin.

The shapeshifter poked his head over the edge of his bunk and looked at Victor in surprise. He then smiled. "I'm Gar, by the way."

"Victor Stone." He reached up one large clockwork hand to shake.

Gar accepted the gesture, but looked at his own hand when it was done. "Hell of a grip you got there," he remarked.

Victor furrowed his brow. "Does that mean... impressive or something?"

Gar nodded. "You catch on quick, metal man," he said with a wink. "That means 'yes.'"

Victor laughed lightly. "I'm guessing that Terra girl you mentioned was the one you were talking to earlier when you turned into a squirrel?"

"That's the one," the Verdanian beamed.

Despite the fact that a few minutes ago, all Victor wanted to do was sleep, he found himself chatting with Gar for the next half-hour. The two of them talked about women and exchanged euphemisms until several other colonists came in to "call it a night" as Gar put it. Before they both decided to go to sleep and continue their conversation in the morning, Victor had learned twelve new words to describe a pretty girl.

**-x-**

Raven sat cross-legged on her bunk with the back of her hands on her knees and her fingers extended and held together. She needed several hours of meditation each day to not only control but also strengthen her powers. Surprisingly, the captain of the ship agreed to abstain her from excessive manual labor when she explained this to him. He must have dealt with sorcerers before.

Raven had refrained from eating that day. She had to fast once a week as part of her exercises. It was a ritual of purification, and while it certainly wasn't pleasant, it was more convenient than some of the others which required certain... materials and a level of privacy Raven would be hard-pressed to attain, especially on a ship or among an up-and-coming new colony.

She noted in the back of her mind the entrance of two of her fellow passengers, but it did not distract her. A brush across the surface of their minds revealed them to be the desertfolk girl and the run-away princess. Against her better judgment, Raven opened one eye.

They were both staring at her in mild confusion before the princess broke into a large grin. "Good evening, friend!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "I hope we are not interrupting anything."

Raven opened her other eye. Much as she hated socializing, it would not be a good idea to foster any enmity between herself and other colonists. She would observe common courtesy, but that was it. "Not at all," she said in her gravelly monotone.

"What were you doing, anyway?" the desertfolk girl asked.

Raven turned her eyes to the blonde girl without moving her head. "Meditation." She had very little use for tact. Her bluntness even surprised some of her teachers when she was younger.

"You are a sorcerer then?" the princess asked.

Raven nodded once. "I am Raven of the House of Trigon."

"Wonderful! I am Starfire of Tamaran, and this is my friend, Terra of the Sahl Clan. We are very pleased to meet you, friend Raven." Where did that girl get her energy?

Raven politely inclined her head once at the two. She felt a little uncomfortable with the honorific title placed on her name by Koria-... by Starfire. This girl seemed very trusting, somewhat naive. Terra on the other hand seemed a little suspicious. Not that Raven blamed her. She knew very well that she didn't appear as a paragon of trustworthiness and honor. Many people took her quiet nature to mean she was hiding something, which actually wasn't at all far from the truth.

"Well... anyway..." Terra started nervously. "Sorry if we interrupted anything. We're just going to go to bed now... Good night." With an uncertain shrug, she moved to her bed and laid down facing the wall.

Starfire hopped rather than climbed into the bunk above Terra and smiled at the two of them. "Good morrow to you, friend Terra. Friend Raven." After that, it was only a matter of seconds until she drifted to sleep.

Raven blinked away her disbelief. She had never seen anyone so quickly shift from one extreme of energy to the next. Even though people with such happy personalities normally irritated Raven to no end, she didn't feel that way about Starfire. True, her bubbly attitude was off-putting. But there was a sincerity to it as well. Perhaps it was a part of the Tamaranian culture? Hard to say, as Raven had never ventured out of the Shadowlands until now.

No matter. There would be time to learn more later. She had now met two of the five extraordinary people on this ship. They had thirteen more days at sea, and unlimited time on the Kain Islands. And if there was one thing that Raven could pride herself on, it was her patience. With that in mind, she lay back on her bedding and slowly slipped into a light sleep.

**-x-**

**Author's Notes:** I think the weirdest part about writing this was the realization that Beast Boy's slang-heavy wisecracking lexicon didn't work in a fantasy setting. I mean, how many of you would honestly believe hearing the word "dude" in a setting like this? So I had to make up a whole new one by bastardizing the idioms and slang of a lot of different cultures and periods. But I think I've got something we can all live with. And it gives me an interesting way to bring in exposition and character development. It's interesting how little things like this can help you flesh out the story in ways you didn't think to before.

Also, yes the song in this chapter was Heart of Steel by Manowar. I'm a music geek, I freely admit it. I promise not to make a habit out of that though. I just thought that it would help to provide some background color to the story.

**fand:** Teen Titans is a really character-driven series to begin with, so as you can imagine I'm doing my damndest to make sure I get their personalities right.

**Lady Katreina:** Of course, once I go back to school, the updates are probably going to be few and far between.

**Starre: **For some reason, I just work best with AUs. I don't know. I guess it's because everything I write is character-driven already, and AUs just give me an opportunity to work with a lot of different ideas in terms of setting and conflicts. Or maybe I should just quit trying to analyze my own writing and just friggin' write.


End file.
